Putter



S. S. PARRISH June4 7, 1949.

PUTTER Filed NOV. 21, 1947 Patented June 7, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT vOFFICE.

7 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in golf clubs and, more particularly, to putters or clubs used for rolling the golf ball upon the putting green in the direction of the hole.

It is always desirable in putting to make the ball hug the ground as closely as possible in order that it does not deviate from its intended course. When the striking impact given to a ball causes an over-spin, I have found that it hugs the ground closely and retains the exact direction of movement initially imparted thereto. Such overspins are caused by so-called topping of the ball, that is, causing the club to engage the ball at any point above its vertical center. On the other hand, if a back spin or no spin at all is given to the ball, it has a tendency to hop and veer to one side or the other until frictional contact with the ground imparts a forward rolling movement to the ball corresponding to the forward speed thereof. Back spins are caused by impact of the club with the ball below its vertical center.

I am aware that putters have heretofore been invented which, when properly used, do impart a forward rolling action to the ball. However, all such putters require considerable experience and skill in order that they may be properly used.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a golf putter which, even when used by a beginner, will impart forward rolling movements to the ball upon contact therewith. To this end, I provide a putter having a head comprising an elongated main body equipped at opposite ends with depending gauge-acting leg elements. The leg elements are adapted to make brushing contact with the ground on either side of the golf ball, thus not only assuring that the striking surface of the club makes impact with the ball above the vertical center thereof, but also facilitating proper alignment of the striking surface of the club with the ball and the hole.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a club as set forth in which the gauge elements are spaced apart suciently to allow passage of a golf ball therebetween during a putting stroke, but after impact of the Istriking face with the ball.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a golf putter of the type immediately above described, which is inexpensive to construct,

durable in use, which is extremely easy to learn to use, and which is more accurate than any putter heretofore developed.

The above and still further objectives and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims, and attached drawings.

Referring to thedrawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a golf club incorporating my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of my novel golf putter on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3, but showing a modified form of my invention.

Referring with greater particularity to the preferred embodiment of my invention, illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the numeral l indicates a golf puttershaft having at one end thereof a handle portion 2 and at the opposite end an elongated head 3. The head 3 comprises an elongated body 4 equipped at opposite laterally-spaced ends with depending gauge-acting leg elements 5. The shaft I is secured to the head 3 intermediate its ends in the conventional manner.

The lower forward edge B of the main body 4 intermediate the leg elements 5 forms the striking edge of the head.l The legs 5 are of equal length; and the distance between the plane of the bottom of the leg elements 5 and the striking surface or edge 6 is less than the diameter of a golf ball, but greater than the radius thereof. In the drawings, the golf ball is indicated by the latter x. The striking edge or surface 6 is longitudinally straight and, due to the equal length of the legs 5, is parallel to the plane of the bottom of the legs 5. With reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the leg elements 5 are spaced apart a distance considerably greater than the diameter of the golf ball for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent.

It will be noted, particularly by reference to Figs. 1 and 3, that the gauge-acting leg elements 5 have semi-cylindrical faces on the bottom surfaces and are of considerably greater width than the thickness of the elongated main body 4. The purpose of the rounded bottom surface is to assure a smooth brushing contact with the ground while the increased width of the leg elements tends to bring the center of gravity of the head 3 as low as possible to maintain a nice balance.

Parallelism between the striking edge 6 and the ground, maintained by the equal length of the leg elements 5, assures impact of the club with the ball in exactly the right direction, due to the fact that the ball is contacted by the striking edge S exactly on its vertical center line.

Due to the fact that the leg elements 5 prevent the striking edge of the club from descending below a certain level upon impact of the ball, the club in its follow-through wil-lpass over the ball without touching tha-same;` asaindicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3.

In the mcdied form of my invention; lillustrated in Fig. 4,; I provide a longitudinally straight cross-sectionally-convex strikingsurface 'l on thelower` forward-,Ledge portion of the elon- 'gated bodyfportion 4-'..-. Alliotherelements of the f club vof Fig.- 4 .-areiidenticalrto-` those rin the. structure of Figs. I to 3 inclusive and indicated by identical numerals .cwithfprime marks Aadded.

My invention hasnbe'enthoroughlyftested and found-to. be completeiygadequate -for theaccomy said head comprising an elongated main body equipped at opposite laterally-'spaced ends with depending gauge-acting leg elements, said leg elements being of equal length, the bottom edge portion of said main body intermediate said leg elements being longitudinally straight and crosssectionally convex to form a striking surface which is spaced from the plane of the bottom of said leg elements a distance less than the diameter of the golf ball but greater than the radius thereof.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the distance between the gauge elements is greater than the diameter of a golf ball.

4. The structure dened in claim 2 in which the' distance between the gauge elements is greater than the diameter of a golf ball.

5. The structure defined in claim 1 in which 1 said'shaft is connected to said head intermediate the ends of said bridge element.

6. The structure dened inclaim 2 in which saidshaft -is connected-to said head intermediate the. ends of said` bridge element.

'7. In a golf ball putter, -a shaft, and an elongated putting head on the end'of the shaft,

a saidhead comprising an elongated main body,T

equipped atlaterally-spaced -ends with depending gauge-actingleg elements, said leg elements plishment of theobjectivesfsetiorth;v and, while I have shown-a1preferred'form; and one modi-- fication rof my invention;- it will be understood that the samesrcapable-pfstill1further modication..withouti-departurenfrom the tspirit and'- scope of theinvention-nas.;defined :in the claims.

i What Ifclaim is:

:1. In: a golf lgialltputter;falshaft,v andan elonl. .gated-putting head onthex end of' the shaft, .'.said-head comprising an'ielongated main body equipped fat; llaterally.spaced` ends with `dependlongitudinally .straight ik and. spaced from the plane of thezfbottornlof the legfelements a dis- -tance less lthan t-hef-;diarx1eter=of:a:r golf ball but .Agreater than .theradiuss thereof.

V2. Infa golf. ballrputtler', afshaft;` and-an elonvgated iputtingfhead onr the. end -ofl the shaft,

being oi equal length; the bottom edge of said mainbody intermediate said leg elements being longitudinally straight and spaced from the plane of the bottom of the leg elements a distance less than the-diameter of a golf ball.

SHERMAN S.- PARRISH.

.. REFERENCES CITED '.'Che -iollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED` STATES .PATENTS v Number :Name Date 1,895,393 Isbell Jan. 24, 1933 2,222,534: Harris Nov..19, 1940 2,239,391 Krause Apr. 22, 1941 4FOREIGN PATENTS Number f' Country Date 277,146 Great Britain Sept. 15, 1927 

